The recent Supreme Court decision concerning the eligibility of transgender athletes in women's sports held profound personal significance for Adaleia Cross, a student at Bridgeport High School in West Virginia. Following years of speaking out, Cross described feeling a "sense of peace" after the ruling.
Cross also conveyed a message to the athlete central to the case, stating, "Jesus Christ loves [the athlete] and has a place for [the athlete] if they want to be there."
Cross has publicly alleged that while both were students at Bridgeport Middle School, the athlete made comments to her in the girls’ locker room that constituted sexual harassment. Her mother, Abby Cross, further elaborated on these claims in December, alleging that the athlete told Adaleia and other girls to "s--- my d---." Abby Cross also stated the athlete made explicit threats, saying, "I’m going to stick my d--- in your p---- and also in your a--."
Adaleia Cross noted a significant shift in the locker room environment after the athlete joined the girls' team.
"A lot of girls, after [the athlete] came into our locker room, started going to the bathroom," Cross said. "They started changing in stalls, which was not really normal."
She added that girls attempted to distance themselves from the athlete, but it remained challenging, especially during track meets. "Girls were just uncomfortable," she emphasized. "They didn’t want to be around [the athlete]."
The discomfort extended beyond her own team, according to Cross.
"I know other teams started canceling coming to track meets so their girls didn’t have to put up with it," Cross explained. "It’s just really sad to see all that happening."
She believes girls are entitled to their designated spaces, which she felt were being compromised. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has previously denied these allegations, while attorneys for the Cross family from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) have responded to the ACLU's position.
School's Alleged Inaction and Legal Outcome
The Cross family asserts that when they reported the alleged harassment to school authorities, no disciplinary action was taken against the athlete, to their knowledge. Adaleia Cross recounted the school's response:
"They told me they would do a full investigation into what I told them," Adaleia said. "And then, all of a sudden, it was like nothing else was happening, it was done, and it seemed like they thought nothing of it because they didn't talk to us about it at all, they just left it there and didn't tell us anything else, so it just made it seemed like, yup it's done."
Her father, Holden Cross, confirmed this, stating, "We received no response from the school after filing the report."
On June 30, the Supreme Court issued a ruling affirming that schools possess the authority to determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex. This decision reversed previous judgments against West Virginia and Idaho, which had enacted laws limiting participation in girls’ and women’s sports teams to biological females.
Personal Sacrifices and Community Response
Despite the legal victory, Adaleia Cross acknowledged that her involvement in the case came with significant personal costs.
"The hardest part of the whole situation for me has been losing friends that I’ve had for years," she shared. "I’ve been friends with these kids since middle school, early elementary school, and to watch as we get older and we get into high school, they just want nothing to do with me."
She added, "It’s people I love don’t want to talk to me now."
During her sophomore year, Cross wore a shirt displaying the message "Save women’s sports," a sentiment echoed by other students who were, in her words, "enraged over what was happening." She described a distressing encounter with a teacher:
"My homeroom teacher, who I’d had for two years, told me that she sees me as less of a person," Cross said. "That was really scary for me."
Feeling at a loss for words, she left the room and was subsequently moved from her homeroom by her junior year.
While Cross stated that the majority of her high school community has been supportive, a small but vocal group has made daily life more challenging.
"My high school has been very supportive," Cross noted. "A lot of teachers, the administration, I know they support me. Most of the kids, I know that they support me."
However, she added, "there’s a very small population that does not, and they are extremely vocal about it." She described this group as aggressive, with instances of threats and hate, making an "80/20" split feel more like a "50/50" dynamic.
Impact on Athletics and Future Participation
Weeks before the Supreme Court's ruling, Cross witnessed the athlete win the girls' state championship in shot put this past May. This was a source of immense frustration for her and other female athletes.
"All of my friends that have been working to be at the top for years, they had the first place spot taken from them, and then every other place, um, behind that, and it's just, it's been really hard. Even though I'm not competing, I know the frustrations everybody else is having, and they stand no chance, and it's not their fault, it's biological reality."
Despite the recent ruling preventing the athlete from competing in girls' sports, Cross will not be returning to athletics herself. She explained that too much time has passed since she last competed.
"As much as I would like to, I don't plan on it. I will be a senior this year, and after not participating for two years, I won't be anywhere near with comparing with the other girls because of the training they have had versus what I haven't had," she stated.
Cross was 14 when she first considered speaking publicly about her experiences. She admitted feeling terrified but sought divine guidance. She recounted how a Bible verse helped solidify her decision:
"The next day, I got on my phone, and the verse of the day on the Bible app was Esther 4:14, which is, ‘Perhaps you were created for such a time as this,’ and I knew that that was what He wanted me to be doing," Cross said.
This verse, she said, remained a constant source of strength throughout the legal proceedings, affirming, "He has remained faithful."
Broader Reflections and a Call to Action
The case has also reshaped Cross's perspective on her own high school experience. Bridgeport High School, she noted, centers heavily on sports and activities. Due to the fallout, she has had to withdraw from three extracurricular activities she enjoyed.
"I definitely feel like I’ve kind of missed a bit of the camaraderie and the friendship that comes from it," Cross reflected. "I definitely miss that, but it’s all worth it to protect women and girls."
Cross believes the national conversation often overlooks the direct impact on biological girls.
"I think that the media likes to focus heavily on how the transgender athletes feel about the situations happening," Cross stated. "What they should be focusing on is how the biological women are being affected."
She emphasized, "This is their spaces, and it is being taken from them."
Her frustration extends not just to the athlete, but also to the adults she feels failed to protect her. "It is really frustrating of my school district, because I went to them with the issues, and I thought that they would handle it, and I thought that they would protect me," she explained.
"I know that they confirmed it happened. I know several other children confirmed that it was happening to me, and they completely ignored it."
She accused them of attempting to silence both her and her parents, calling it "really frustrating, especially as a 14-year-old."
The experience continues to weigh on Cross, as she contemplates how many other girls might be afraid to speak up. "I just wanted to compete in sports," she said, expressing concern for others. "It’s really hard to think about even now, to know how many other kids could they be doing that to? How many other situations of sexual abuse are happening that they’re silencing? It’s just really frustrating."
With the Supreme Court ruling now decided, Cross hopes people will look past political rhetoric and genuinely listen to the experiences of girls who say they have been affected.
"I urge people to think for themselves," Cross concluded. "Actually look into the facts of the cases, and to what’s actually happened to countless girls, and to not let the media tell them what to think."
She urged individuals to "actually use their minds and look into what’s actually happening."
